Abstract
Exceptional experiences (EE) occur frequently within the populations of many countries and across various socio-cultural contexts. Although some EE show similarities with mental disorders, it would be a mistake to identify them in general as disorders. In fact, the vast number of individuals reporting EE includes subclinical and completely healthy subjects. We conducted a comparative empirical study of several characteristics of EE for two samples – one from ordinary population and the other from clients seeking advice. We found surprisingly similar phenomenological patterns of EE in both samples, but the frequency and intensity of EE for clients seeking advice significantly exceeded those for the ordinary population. Our results support the hypothesis of a continuous spectrum between mental health and mental disorder for the types of experiences analyzed.
Highlights
Exceptional experiences (EE) are usually understood as deviations from what might be referred to as ordinary experiences, i.e., experiences consistent with typical “reality models” (Metzinger, 2003) that individuals develop to cope with their socio-cultural environment
PHENOMENOLOGICAL PATTERNS Subsample II was based on a follow-up study of 176 clients within subsample I
We found that the phenomenology of EE appeared to be organized according to the same basic structure of four different EE patterns of phenomena – internal, external, coincidence, and dissociation
Summary
Exceptional (or extraordinary) experiences (EE) are usually understood as deviations from what might be referred to as ordinary experiences, i.e., experiences consistent with typical “reality models” (Metzinger, 2003) that individuals develop to cope with their socio-cultural environment. A well-known example of EE is the meaningful coincidence of events with no causal connection which Jung (1955) referred to as synchronistic Another example, widely studied recently (cf Metzinger, 2005) concerns out-of-body experiences, where an individual’s material body is typically “seen” by the same individual from outside his body. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND A recently proposed classification of EE (Fach, 2011; Belz and Fach, 2012) is based on a few key postulates of Metzinger’s (2003) theory of mental representations. These representations are elements of a model of reality that subjects create, develop, and modify during their lifetime. Intersubjective knowledge (sometimes called “objective” “third-person” knowledge) about them is possible
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
